Assessment Underway

A frail-looking little girl ran at the back of the pack. Even if she did not fall, she was unlikely to complete one hundred laps.

By now, many children who knew they could not keep going had already given up. Only she and another thick-browed, big-eyed boy remained at the back.

When something like this happened, a Chunin responsible for counting laps was supposed to go over, help her up, and assist her off the track. But the moment the Chunin touched the little girl's hand, she found strength from somewhere and flung him away.

The little girl shakily got back to her feet and continued running, looking as though she could collapse again at any moment.

The little girl caught Ruri's attention, so he checked her with the system.

[Name: Nogami Yuna]

[Overall Strength: None]

[Talent: None]

[Attribute: Water]

[Special Ability: None]

[Evaluation: Completely ordinary. Battlefield fodder.]

She was probably the legendary three-nothing girl. This was the worst status panel Ruri had ever seen. The little girl truly had no aptitude for becoming a ninja. If she had even possessed the potential of a Chunin, Ruri would have considered letting her pass this round because of her repeated falls, recoveries, and determination to keep moving forward. But she did not even have the aptitude of a Genin. There was no point in trying any harder.

When Yuna fell for the tenth time, Ruri could no longer remain seated. He signaled Takenaka Masakata beside him to take her away. Those without talent could not make it even with ten thousand times the effort. The ninja world was simply that cruel. The upper limit was there. Even if one desperately managed to become a Genin, it would only mean dying on the battlefield. People said Guy and Rock Lee were geniuses of hard work, but they were geniuses themselves. Without talent, the Eight Inner Gates could not be mastered at all.

Yuna collapsed. She no longer had even a trace of strength left, and beneath the blazing sun, she was drenched in sweat.

However, Masashige ran over before Masakata could. He was currently in eighth place, with a respectable result. He only needed four more laps to easily pass the first round, and he could even earn the top ten reward of sushi and iced water.

But Masashige did not choose to chase his ranking. After helping the powerless Yuna up, he softly asked, "How many laps are left?"

"..." Yuna did not answer. She no longer had the strength to speak, and she knew that she had probably reached her limit.

"I counted. You've run seventy-two laps. Twenty-eight remain. We'll run them together," Masashige said seriously. He draped Yuna's arm over his shoulder, supported her, then hoisted her onto his back and began walking.

Although Masashige's overall strength was at the level of a Genin, he was still a child. His strength and stamina had yet to reach their peak, and with another person on his back, how could he possibly run? So they moved slowly, one step at a time. Even the thick-browed, big-eyed last-place boy overtook them.

"That is Lord Takikage's disciple, right?" Mu glanced at Takenaka Masakata, who had walked halfway over and did not know what to do, then pointed at Masashige.

"That's right. He's a very talented child," Ruri said blandly.

"If you help others when you lack the ability to do so, you'll only drag yourself down in the end. That isn't what a ninja should do." Mu was curious how Ruri would handle this. At this rate, even if Masashige carried that little girl through one hundred laps, they would run out of time.

"Perhaps." Ruri knew Masashige's kind heart, but he also knew Masashige possessed his own judgment. Someone who could not even run one hundred laps truly had little ninja talent. Out of kindness, he should have advised her to recognize her limits. There had to be some hidden reason Ruri did not know about.

Soon, the time limit was reached. The children who had placed in the top ten had long since collected their sushi and boxed meals, eating and drinking nearby while receiving their parents' praise. Their names had also been written on a wooden board, displaying their glory.

Two civilian children had made the top ten. One had come in fifth, and the other tenth. It was a good start.

The running did not end there. Even after the time limit, people were still running. It was not that they could not finish, but that they were a little slower or had failed to manage their stamina properly. Most of these children were civilians. To show his recognition of them, Ruri gave each of them a Kunai engraved with Takigakure's symbol.

At last, after the thick-browed, big-eyed boy in last place crawled through his hundredth lap and put away the Kunai he had received, Masashige finally carried Yuna across the hundredth lap.

"The first round of assessment is over! Anyone who failed to complete one hundred laps within the time limit is eliminated!" Ruri rose to his feet and announced loudly. Takenaka Masakata looked at Masashige as though he wanted to say something, but after hesitating for a long time, he said nothing.

"Lord Takikage is truly strict. Your disciple clearly had the strength to make the top ten, yet he was eliminated because he helped someone else," Mu said.

"That was his own choice. He must pay the price for it." Ruri looked expressionlessly at Masashige, whose teeth were clenched tight.

"Lord Takikage, Lu Fei worked so hard to finish one hundred laps. Please give him another chance!"

"Lord Takikage, Kashi lost his way on the road of life, which was why he failed to perform to his full ability. Please give him another chance!"

"Lord Takikage, a murder suddenly happened next door to Konan's home..."

"Lord Takikage, Togashi stayed up late playing Mahjong last night..."

"Lord Takikage..."

"Lord Taki..."

The moment Ruri announced the result, the entire open ground erupted in noise. Quite a few of them were influential ninjas from several clans, and there were even Jonin among them. They all wanted to fight for another chance for their children. After all, in their parents' eyes, their own children were the best. If they had been eliminated, it was only because of one objective reason or another.

Hagane Masamasa also spoke up to persuade him. His son and daughter had both been only a little short of passing. If they tried again, they would surely succeed.

Ruri gestured for everyone to quiet down. He had anticipated this situation long ago. This was an unprecedented assessment format, and two civilian children had made the top ten. What were the parents of those clan-born children who had been eliminated supposed to think? Were they expected to admit that their children were inferior to civilians?

Ruri had already prepared a solution for this situation. He continued, "If you are dissatisfied with this result, you may take part in a supplementary admission test. Have your children run another eight hundred laps. There is no time limit. Finish them, and they will pass the assessment and may participate in the second round the day after tomorrow."

"Eight hundred laps?"

"Lord Takikage can't possibly be..."

"Forget it. Daxiong will die if he runs eight hundred laps. We're withdrawing."

"Forget it, forget it. Enrollment will happen again next year. Qiyu is only five. Starting today, he'll do one hundred push-ups, one hundred sit-ups, and one hundred squats every day. Next year, he'll definitely become a ninja for fun."

"That's right. If it doesn't work this year, there's always next year. There's no need to risk your life running eight hundred laps..."

Ruri's supplementary admission requirement was far too harsh. Although there was no time limit, even an official Genin would need to give it everything they had to complete eight hundred laps. Those with weaker constitutions might be unable to move after seven hundred or so laps, let alone these children, who had just finished two hundred laps.

Seeing that Ruri had no intention of relenting, people gradually left. For all they knew, Ninja Academy education might not even be as good as what they could provide at home! In the end, only six people remained standing where they were. Masashige and Yuna naturally stayed behind, and so did the thick-browed, big-eyed boy in last place.